] VIDEO: JKVJ #8 - On climate change policies - Rt Hon John Key
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5 Comments
14 May 2007
VIDEO: JKVJ #8 - On climate change policies

Immediately following the National Party's Northern Regional Conference in Whangarei on Sunday, John talks about National's newly announced climate change policies - and the "50 by 50" cornerstone of those proposals. For his speech to the Conference, click here. For a media release about the policies, with an extensive backgrounder, click here. Both links take you to pages where you can enter comments. For a comprehensive overview of National's work on the environment, see the environment section of the National Party website and don't forget to visit the Bluegreens, National's environment policy advisory group.

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#1 - Miles Stratford said:
2007-05-15 15:21 - (Reply)

Dear Mr. Key Imagine creating four hundred jobs while reducing Auckland's CO2 emissions by 1,500,000 tonnes per annum and producing 20% of Auckland's power (70% of which will be renewable) from the waste our local government bodies are 'administering' into landfills without increasing the cost to the public associated with residual waste management. These are just few of the benefits that Global Olivine is capable of delivering. The views expressed in your recent newsletter about the need to balance environmental and economic drivers of an economy, lead me to visit your website. The comments made in your JK VJ#8 give myself and my colleagues some hope that our business has a future in new Zealand as well as the future we are working hard to create for ourselves overseas. We remain passionate about New Zealand and would love for us to be a future here, but unless you assume power and the policy direction you have outlined is translated into meaningful action, then we can see no hope for our business in New Zealand. This will inevitably mean hundreds of millions of dollars of business going offshore. We would welcome the opportunity to explore further with either yourself or your advisors some of the challenges that face businesses such as ours when seeking to establish in New Zealand. We are the very businesses which will move your vision for '50 by 50' from the platitudes of an aspiring prime minister, to the reality of a society served by a true statesman who has facilitated meaningful change. I look forward to hearing from you and wish you well in your efforts. Kind regards Miles Stratford General Manager Global Olivine (NZ) Limited 021 846 813

#2 - Jacques Vosloo said:
2007-05-16 10:43 - (Reply)

Climate Change Policy: Surely I strongly belief that "Doing nothing is not an option!" What would National's Energy Policy for New Zealand be and how would it relate to your Climate Change Policy? New Zealand must have an Energy Policy that plans for the future, but meet the needs of today. I believe we can develop our natural resources and protect our environment by having these to policies in place!

#3 - Frank James 2007-05-16 14:27 - (Reply)

Dear Mr. Key Please excuse my bluntness, but I believe there is too much political correctness in the world today, and not enough truth. It is with great sadness that I have just watched your JK VJ#8 video on controlling carbon emissions. I am saddened because yet again we see platitudes, more proposed legislation, but no leadership. The world needs strong leaders who can see the issues facing their countries and then can drive their Governments to establish a social and economic environment that supports those who try to address those issues. Instead we get politicians. What is the difference between the leader and statesman that we need, and the politicians we get?  A leader identifies potential future problems and acts to prevent those problems from occurring.  Politicians legislate so that they can appear to be doing something to fix the problems they have already caused through their previous round of platitudes, and then take as much credit as they can for any minor improvements in the situation, that shouldn’t have occurred in the first place. Let’s take the current Carbon emissions problem. In my humble view a leader would first identify every possible resource that is immediately at their disposal to address the problem and implement them NOW. Then they would identify what could be done easily, identify what will be hard to achieve and why. They will then find out what they can do to make it EASIER for their industry to do all of those things NOW. This approach is like a supportive parent who encourages their children and provides them with the tools they need to grow by achieving their goals and prospering By contrast a politician sets an arbitrary target that is in line with targets set by other politicians and then legislates the industry to death until those targets are met. Very clever really… If the targets are reached by industry working in spite of all the new legislation then you take the credit. If the targets are not reached then you can hide behind all the legislation that you have been working hard to create, and blame industry for not doing their part. Very clever for a politician who wants to stay in power that is, but very short sighted for a true leader and statesman who wants their country to grow to be all that it can. Rarely if ever have I seen an approach of legislation and taxes make it easier for anyone to achieve something productive. This approach is what I call the “Do it or I will hit you, and keep hitting you until you do it” approach so prevalent in our culture. Unfortunately the stakes you are playing with are much higher than getting a spanked bottom. You are playing literally with the lives of the New Zealand people. For the past two years I have been working on developing an engine that does not require any fuel. High coercivity NeFeB (Neodymium Iron Boron) magnets power it. It is completely scalable in both size and power, and could provide every home and business in New Zealand with unlimited clean 100% emission free power. Too good to be true? I guess politicians think so, because despite repeated requests for any kind of assistance, I have had no help of ANY kind to commercialise the product in New Zealand at all. Now while that may be a politically clever move, I doubt that you could argue that a true leader and statesman would pass up the opportunity to investigate the potential of such a device for their economy. I have no choice now, but to take my device off shore, where I have people who are interested in gaining as much competitive advantage as they can. Yes this engine is already a proven working reality, not an artificial target. The first working prototype was built over 6 months ago. I ask you as an intelligent man, just how much of that half a trillion dollars worth of low carbon market do you think New Zealand will get in 2050, after they have been competing with a flourishing Chinese economy that has been expanding for the last 40+ years on the back of an unlimited source of free power, and a reputation for leading the world, and being the first completely carbon neutral country. On top of that just work out how much income the Chinese will get by leasing these devices back to the rest of the world, at say the equivalent of the average NZ house hold power bill. For ease of maths lets say that the average monthly spend on power per house is $100 per month If the Chinese manufacture 1 machine for every house in America, ignoring the businesses they have 110,000,000 paying $1,200 per year. That’s an ANNUAL income of $ 133,200,000,000 add to that the businesses and you have as much as the entire industry you were predicting for low carbon products. I guess your advisers didn’t factor in energy as a low carbon product, a shortsighted view. But the key point here is that they don’t have to wait until 2050, they are going to have it now… because we have politicians with “perfectly well balance policies” not leaders. Thank you for at least taking the time to read this. I truly hope you will develop into a real leader and a statesman, and not settle for being a politician as so many before you have done. Please excuse my bluntness, but I believe there is too much political correctness in the world today, and not enough truth. Kind regards and best wishes for all of our futures. Frank James.

#3.1 - Jacques Vosloo said:
2007-05-17 08:55 - (Reply)

Hi Frank, what is your contact details? We would like to know more about your device.

#4 - David 2007-05-18 14:31 - (Reply)

I think the National party needs to sit down and watch the documentary: "The Great Global Warming Swindle".


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